Contents

Synopsis

The spirits of the Murder House become ever stronger, blurring the line between life and death. Meanwhile, the house's former residents offer some tips on decorating for Halloween to the Harmons. It also marks the return of the Rubber Man.

Plot

2010

Chad Warwick is lighting candles and carving pumpkins in preparation for a Halloween party. The Halloween party is supposed to make people interested in buying the house, which he and his partner had bought to fix and then sell it at a profit. Chad confronts his partner Patrick about having sex with his trainer at the gym, which Patrick concedes. They fight about the passion being gone from their relationship, and that they are stuck in the house due to finances tied up with the restoration. After Patrick leaves, Chad sees Rubber Man and mistakes him for Patrick. An angry Rubber Man drowns Chad in the apple bucket, and turns around to find Patrick standing in a cowboy costume.

2011

Ben, Vivien, and Marcy discuss strategies for selling the house. Marcy wants to include "fluffers", specialists paid to style up the house, to drive more lookers. Vivien agrees that the house has an "image problem", since they're on the Murder House Tour. Marcy agrees to hire one, a gay man.

Travis[1] is reading about Halloween's origins to Addy . Constance seems frustrated with him, and sends him to pick up groceries and cigarettes. Addy can read, but has been telling Travis that she can't. Constance thinks Addy is vying for Travis' affections, and warns her that after "30-some-odd" years of sacrificing for Addy, she is not going to share the men in her life with her.

Larry shows up to extort money from Ben for killing and burying Hayden. Ben sends him away, as he has a patient (Tate). Tate did not transition to the new therapist Ben set up for him, Dr. Goldman. Ben thanks him for helping during the home invasion, but wants an explanation as to why he was there. Tate lies, but Ben still says that Tate can not be seen as a patient at the house because of continued boundary issues. A tearful and contrite Tate agrees, and they agree to meet for coffee in a park.

A security officer is describing the new security system to Vivien. Moira is carving pumpkins, which she says Marcy brought. Moira requests Halloween off so that she can visit her mother. Vivien takes the pumpkins outside, and sees Chad and Patrick discussing the rosebushes. Mistaking them for Marcy's "fluffers", Vivien brings them inside.

Ben, Vivien, Chad, and Patrick are carving pumpkins. The ghosts are playing the part of "the fluffers" and continue to bicker. Chad insists the gazebo will not help them sell the house, and should be replaced after Halloween with an organic garden. Ben cuts himself accidentally with the knife, and Patrick (an EMT) volunteers to help. After he does so in the bathroom, Patrick fondles and tries to seduce Ben with a blowjob, but Ben declines. Vivien and Chad discuss Patrick's indiscretions as they prepare more decorations. Chad says he discovered the truth after reviewing the cell phone records, which could not be erased the same way as text messages.

Upstairs, Addy scares Violet, grabbing her from underneath the bed. Addy wants Violet to dress her up as a "pretty girl". Addy asks if she is Tate's girlfriend, and also if she is a virgin. Addy declines to reveal her age, citing Constance, but tells Violet that she is not a virgin. Addy is overjoyed by the makeover. Violet chides Addy, saying she can't come over anymore, but Addy insists that all of her friends are there.

Constance chases Addy around the kitchen, insisting that she take off the makeup, citing their reputation. Addy refuses to comply.

Violet looks for Tate in the basement and is scared by him (though she won't admit it), as he is wearing the Rubber Man suit. They use a Ouija board to contact Charles Montgomery. Violet wants to know what Tate did to the intruders in the basement. He repeats that it wasn't him, as he had help. Tate tells her the story of Charles Montgomery and his abortion clinic. He adds that Nora received a threatening phone call from an angry father of an aborted child. He kidnapped their baby, and the police return the dismembered corpse in jars. Nora wanted to bury the child in the lace Christening dress, but Charles stitched the remains together. Tate insists that the resulting entity still lives there in the basement (The Infantata). Violet does not believe him. Violet insists that she and Tate should have a "real date", away from the house, and Tate agrees to do so the following night.

Ben meets Tate at a playground. Ben discloses his troubled childhood to Tate, while uncharacteristically smoking a cigarette. He says that Tate reminds him of himself at his age, and how lucky and surprising it was that he was able to get through it with a wonderful family.

Constance finds Addy in bed, as Addy does not want to trick-or-treat. Constance has capitulated, and will let her go as a "pretty girl" (under a vinyl mask).

Ben is preparing his costume (as a vampire), and Vivien is dressed as a witch. She confronts him about Hayden, having examined the phone bills and found her contacts. Ben claims that he has had minimal contact with her, and that he didn't see her in Boston. He says she will not be calling back. Vivien's cell phone rings, and it's Hayden's number. Vivien says she will call her back.

Downstairs, Chad continues to decorate the house. He frowns at Vivien's choice and its gaudy symbolism to new potential home buyers, and the cheesiness of Ben's outfit. Chad freaks out about the wrong apple choice, leading to Chad's insistence that the Harmons should leave. Vivien demands they leave at once. As Chad and Patrick are about to walk out the front door, they catch a glimpse of the Rubber Man. Terrified, they run out the back. Vivien has had enough of Ben's lies, and says that he should leave as well. Immediately, she clutches her belly, feeling something wrong with the baby. Ben and Vivien rush to the hospital, leaving Violet behind, and instructing her not to answer the door under any circumstances.

Violet reads upstairs while her iPod plays loudly, having set out a candy dish. She doesn't hear Addy ringing the doorbell, wanting Violet to see her "pretty girl" mask and costume. She follows a group of insulting young women, wanting to fit in with them, and does not see the oncoming car that hits her as she crosses.

Ben and Vivien are finally seen by the emergency room doctor. During an ultrasound examination, the doctor initially questions the pregnancy timeline, as the baby is much larger than it should be at eight weeks. Peering further, the doctor sees something and suddenly collapses to the floor.

Constance rushes to find Addy being attended to by EMTs. Constance defies the EMTs who are trying to load Addy into the ambulance and drags her to the lawn of the Harmon house, insisting that she will be with her friends. She does not reach the lawn in time.

Moira walks the hallways of a long-term care facility, finding her comatose mother (Molly) on a respirator. Moira feels guilty that she hasn't been there for her, and resolves to set her free. Moira unhooks the respirator, and her mother dies. Molly's ghost bids that Moira should come with her, but Moira cries that she can't.

Larry is furiously pounding on the door and ringing the bell, demanding that Ben give him his $1,000. He scares away oncoming trick-or-treaters. Violet calls Ben, while Larry menaces her through the door. Over her shoulder, Rubber Man frames the doorway. When Ben and Vivien arrive home, they call after a missing Violet. There's a knock at the door, and Ben answers. It is a ghoulish Hayden, smirking. Ben slams the door in her face.

Quotes

Adelaide Langdon

I wanna be a pretty girl!

Marcy: "Everybody thinks they have style, and everybody thinks they're funny. Most people aren't."

Chad Warwick: "And pick me up some Gala apples. I thought these Golden Delicious would look dramatic in the bobbing bucket. They just look dull and depressing. There's no contrast."

Larry Harvey: "Now give me my treat. You don't want the trick."

Molly O'Hara

Come with me, baby.

Moira O'Hara

I want to, but I can't, mother. I can't.

Notes

This is the first episode in which Moira was not seen in her younger form.

After Ben and Vivien leave for the hospital, Violet is seen in her room, listening to music and reading a manga comic. The manga is "NANA" by Ai Yazawa.

Upon seeing a little girl dressed in a witch costume, Tate asks Ben if it reminds him of Violet. Taissa Farmiga, who portrays Violet, would later play a witch in the third season of American Horror Story.